Casket closure device



ly 1 1956 H. w. BAKER, JR 2,154,142

CASKET CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Aug. 10. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 44 HAROLD w. BAKER JR.

ATTORNEYS July 10, 1956 H. w. BAKER, JR 2,754,142

CASKET CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Aug. 10. 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS HAROLD w. BAKER,JR.

July 10, 1956 Filed Aug. 10, 1954 Fig? 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 N V EN TOR.

I 44 HAROLD W- BAKER,JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent Oflice 2,754,142 Patented July 10, 1956 CASKET CLOSURE DEVICE Application August 10, 1954, Serial No. 448,798 3 Claims. (Cl. 292-6) This invention relates to a casket closure device and, more particularly, relates to a casket closure device adapted to be used to close a hinged casket lid from a single point exterior of the casket.

Numerous devices known to the art provide mechanism for closing a hinged casket lid from a single point exterior of the casket. Such devices heretofore known have been deficient in one or more respects. For example, in some cases they are extremely complex and expensive to manufacture. Inother cases such devices are disadvantageous in that a comparatively large force is required to operate them.

The closure device in accordance with this invention is economic to manufacture and is particularly advantageous in that it only requires a small force to operate it. The structure in accordance with this invention is further advantageous in that it provides a superior lock when the lid is in the closed position.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent on reading the description in conjunction with the following drawings:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a casket embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the lid and body of the casket of Figure 1 looking towards one of the pull down mechanisms of a closure device in accordance with this invention.

Figure 3 is a front perspective view showing one of the plurality of pull down mechanisms.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the pull down assemblies.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 55 indicated in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a cap used to seal the exterior end of the closure device of this invention.

Figure 7 is a schematic view showing the pull down mechanism with the mechanism translated to the right from the open position.

Figure 8 is a schematic view showing the mechanism of Figure 7 advanced to the pull down hook.

Figure 9 is a schematic view showing the mechanism of Figure 7 in the closed and locked position.

Referring to Figure 1, a casket 2 has a body portion 4 and a lid 6. The rear of lid 6 is pivoted on body 4 by hinges 8. A plurality of hooks 10 project downwardly from the front of the lid 6. Body 4 is provided with openings 12 for the passage of hooks 10 into the interior of body 4. The open end of each hook 10 faces to the left as viewed in Figure 1.

As best shown in Figure 2, the body 4 has a recess 14 extending about its entire periphery and containing sealing gasket 16, which is adapted to engage a recess 18 extending about the entire periphery of the top. Each hook 10 is surrounded by a ring gasket 20, which acts to seal the corresponding opening 12.

Referring to Figure 3, a bar 24 has a plurality of flanges 26 which are secured to flange 28 of body 4 (Figure 2). Bar 24 is adapted to cooperate with a plurality of pull down units 30, each of which coacts with a hook 10. For each pull down unit 30, bar 24 has a slot 32 having a generally arcuate initial portion 34 and a substantially vertical terminal portion 36. Each pull down unit 30 has a pull down lever 38 which carries a fixed pin 40 near its upper end, the pin 40 extending on either side of lever 38. On its inner side pin 40 acts as a slot follower passing through slot 32 and having a head 42, which is larger than the slot. The outer side of pin 40 intersects the vertical plane in which hook 10 lies when the casket lid is closed.

At its lower end lever 38 has an offset portion 44, which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a supporting lever 46. Lever 46 lies in a vertical plane inside bar 24 and is pivotally connected to bar 24 as shown at 48. Lever 38 is pivotally connected to an operating lever 50 as shown at 52. Operating lever 50 is pivotally connected to a block 54, which in turn is fixedly secured to a rod 56. Rod 56 has a threaded end 58, which loosely engages the female threads 60 in member 62.

As best seen in Figure 5, member 62 has a circular boss 64 which fits into opening 66 of member 68, which.

has external and internal threads, as indicated at 70 and 72, respectively. Member 68 has an externally heated; portion 74 which bears against a gasket 76, which in turn. bears against the exterior surface of body 4. A nut 78 engages threads 70 and abuts against the inner surface.- of body 4. An Allen screw 80 is threaded into member 62 and fixedly secured thereto by a set screw 82. The:

head 84 of Allen screw 80 abuts against a washer 86,. which in turn engages member 68. As shown in phantom. outline, Allen wrench can be used to engage Allent screw 80 in order to rotate it.

As shown in Figure 6, a cap 92 carrying a rubber washer 94 and having a threaded portion 96, is adapted to engage threads 72 in order to be positioned with washer 94 against member 68, in order to form a seal.

Operation When lid 6 is closed, hooks 10 project downwardly within body 4 and the pull down mechanism 30 is positioned with lever 38 positioned with pin 40 against the left hand end of portion 34 of slot 32. Allen wrench 90 is then rotated clockwise, which results in the clockwise rotation of member 62. This in turn results in the translation of rod 56 to the right as viewed in Figure 3 and pivots lever 38 on lever 46, which remains substantially stationary. This moves pin 40 through portion 34 of slot 32, the arc of which has as a center the pivotal connection between levers 38 and 46, and brings it up against portion 36 Where the outer portion of pin 40 is centered over the hook portion of hook 10.

Lever 38 now pivots about pin 40 in slot 32 and moves lever 46 to the right as viewed in Figure 3. This results in the downward movement of pin 40 in portion 36 of slot 32 to engage hook 10 and pull it downwardly with a substantially straight throw.

The downward movement is terminated when pin 40 reaches the bottom of slot portion 36. Suflicient play is provided for the lowering of rod 56 at an angle sulficient so as to not impede the lowering of the pins 40 by play between threaded end 58 and threads 60, play at block 51 and by the flexibility of rod 56.

It is not desired to be limited except as set forth in the following claims, the above description being by way of illustration only.

What is claimed is:

1. A closure device for a casket having a body and a lid hinged to the body comprising: a plurality of pull down elements adapted to engage pull down members depending from the casket lid, pull down levers mounted in the casket body and each carrying one of said pull down elements, a supporting lever for each of said pull down levers having its lower portion pivotally secured to the lower portion of said pull down lever, a guide memher having a slot adjacent eachpull down lever, follower means secured to the upper portion of each pull down lever and engaging its adjacent slot, said slot having antini-tial substantially arcuate portion and a terminal substantially vertical portion, operating means including a longitudinal operating bar pivotally connected to said pull down levers intermediate the pull down elements and the pivotal connections with the supporting levers, said supporting levers having their upper portions pivotally supported respectively at points spaced from said slots in the direction of the closing motion of, said operating means and said operating means pivoting the pull down levers on the supporting levers to advance the pull down elements into engagement with the pull down members and subsequently pivoting the supporting levers to pull the pull down elements downwardly against the pull down members.

2. A closure device for a casket having a body and a lid hinged to the body comprising: a plurality of pull down pins adapted to engage pull down hooks depending from the casket lid, pull down levers mounted in the casket body and each carrying one of said pull down pins, a supporting lever for each of said pull down levers having its lower portion pivotally secured to the lower portion of said pull down lever, a guide member having a slot adjacent each pull down lever, follower means secured to the upper portion of each pull down lever and engaging its adjacent slot, said slot having an initial substantially arcuate portion and a terminal substantially vertical portion, operating means including a longitudinal operating bar pivotally connected to said pull down levers intermediate the pull down pins and the pivotal connection with the supporting levers and screw means to move said operating bar longitudinally, said supporting levers having their upper portions pivotally supported respectively at points spaced from said slots in the direction of the closing motion of said operating means and saidoperating means pivot n the. pull down levers on the supporting levers to advance the pull down pins into engagement with the pull down hooks and subsequently pivoting the supporting levers to pull the pull down pins downwardly against the pull down hooks.

3. A closure device for a casket having a body and a lid hinged to the body comprising: a plurality of pull down elements adapted to engage pull down members de- Pending {mm th Casket lid, pull down levers mounted in the casket body and each carrying one of said pull down elements, a supporting lever for each of said pull down levers having its lower portion pivotally secured to the lower portion of said pull down lever, a guide member having a slot adjacent each pull down lever, follower means secured to the upper portion of each pull down lever and engaging its adjacent slot, said slot having an initial substantially arcuate portion and a terminal substantially vertical portion, operating means including a longitudinaloperatingbar pivotally connected to said pull down leversintermediate the pull down elements and the pivotal connection with the supporting levers and screw means to move said operating bar longitudinally, said supporting levers having their upper portions pivotally supported respectively at points spaced from said slots in the direction of the closing motion of said operating means and said operating meanspivoting the pull down levers on the supporting levers to advance the pull down elementsintoengagement with the pull down members and subsequently pivoting the supporting levers to pull the pull down elements downwardly againstthe pull down members.

References-Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

